Whittier students join Team Science

WHITTIER - A new science, technology and engineering partnership, formed between area schools and a non-profit group dedicated to inspiring students in these studies, was unveiled Wednesday at Pioneer High School.

Parents, students, teachers and community leaders got a sneak peek during the launch event for Team Science workshops. It is part of a community-wide effort to provide local students in the Whittier Union High, Los Nietos, South Whittier and Whittier City school districts, with the skills they need to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Team Science, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to providing programs that will inspire students to become life-long STEM learners.

"We are coming together to provide our young people with programs that will nurture their love and knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math to prepare them to compete in those fields in both college and careers," said WUHSD Superintendent Sandra Thorstenson. "We're providing the launch pad and can't wait to watch them take off."

Team Science volunteers gave students the chance to try out nine different hands-on activities, including building and launching paper rockets, airships with aluminum sails, small wood and paper windmills, and operating the new NASA flight deck simulator in the school's library and media center.

These hands-on classes will begin with a special July 2013 Summer Science Camp for grades K through 12 at Pioneer High.

"The launch was a great opportunity for parents and students to visit Pioneer and find out about what our teachers and Team Science leaders will be offering our young people this summer," said Pioneer Principal Monica Oviedo. "It's going to be an exciting summer camp."

Classes will cover an array of age-appropriate math and sciences including botany, biology, chemistry, astronomy, physics, engineering and more.

Several of the classes will be led by educators and scientists with years of professional experience, all of whom volunteer their time.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Team Science programs to Pioneer High School and the Whittier community," said Marie Mungaray, president and executive director of Team Science, which has been in operation for the past 21 years. "Our goal is to instill the love of math and science in every heart and the power of math and science in every mind."

Mungaray said students who complete Team Science programs have gone on to pursue math, science, technology, engineering, law, and business degrees at prestigious universities such as Massachusetts Instituite of Technology, Caltech, Stanford, Harvard, Whittier College and the United States Air Force Academy.

Many Team Science alumni have also achieved successful positions in organizations such as the Judge Advocate General's Corp (JAG) in the United States Air Force, the Boeing Company, Northrop Grumman, NASA, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Company and Cisco Systems.